Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-06-24
Friday. Iune "a, 1887.

For some years past the tobacco
growers Of Wisconsin have been agita-
ted considerably over the import duties
on Sumatra tobacco. In the first and
third congressional districts the tobacco
tariff has played an important part in
several political campaigns. With
each recurring election the republican
leaders have tried to make it appear
that the prosperity of the tobacco
raisers depended solely upon the sue
cess Of the candidates Of the republican
party, who were pledged to policy
of high taxation. Particularly was
this 50 in 1884, when the free trade
scare was worked for all it was worth.
In Dane and Rock counties those who
had their all invested in cultivatiDg
the weed could think Of nothing dur
ing the daytime but the refrain Of
the campaign song, Free Trade and a
Dying Land" and at night dreamed
Of democratic success, and had visions
of Sumatra leaf Democratic success
came, but the tariff tax on tobacco
remained the same as when it was
fixed by the forty-seventh-repub-
lican congress in 1888. Under this
law and the ruling Of republican treas
ury officials the great bulk of Sumatra
tobacco was imported under duty Of
thirty-iiye cents per pound. AS thirty
five cents per pound on tobacco, nearly
all of which is used as cigar wrappers,
is low duty when compared with
other tariff taxes, an effort was made
in 1885 q to have it increased. For
this end the Wisconsin tobacco grow
crs were called upon to contribute Of
their means to send a lobby to congress
To look after their interests. The lobby
went to Washington and spent a great
deal of time and considerable money,
and were ably seconded in their efforts
by congressman Casswell and La
Toilette, representatives. of the tobacco
growing section of Wisconsin; but the
efforts of the combined forces failed
completely to secure an increase in
the tariff tax on tobacco. The Badger
protectionists returned home, perhaps
wiser than when they left, but still
determined to make as much capital
as possible out of the tariff scare at
the next election.
1t now transpircs that under the
law of 1883 the tariff tax on Sumatra
tobacco to be used for wrappers the
grade which comes in competition
with the Wisconsin product should
be seventy-iiye cents per pound instead
of thirty-iiye and is now SO assessed
by democratic customs officers. The
manner in which Sumatra tobacco was
formerly fraudulcntly imported at
thirty five cents per pound is fully set
forth in communication from Wash
ington to the New York star, which
is rcpublished in an other column of
this issue of The Democrat.
While the democratic party is OPP
posed TO the dclusive policy of so
called protection, democratic officials
believe i'll faithfully administering all
laws as they now stand on the statute
books. OF this fact those who have
been in the habit Of importing high
grade tobacco at duty of thirty-fve
cents per pound are doubtless well
aware. Another fact that the tobacco
growers should bear i'll mind is that
while demagogues bearing the repub-
lican label were setting themselves up
rs the only friends to American indus
try in general and tobacco culture in
particular, other republican officials
were enabling dishonest importers of
Sumatra leaf to evade the law designed
for the protection of the great infant
industry which hes been carried on in
America since the first settlement of
Virginia.